| The winters
are extreme in the Northern Hemisphere, but Sanmar ships have
been adept at trading even in such climates. Three of them,
Sanmar Pavilion, Sanmar Pioneer and Sanmar Progress, have been
to the "Ice Zones" the past winter. Sanmar Pavilion and Sanmar
Pioneer called at the Port of St. Petersburg of the Russian
Federation, while Sanmar Progress called at the ports of Port
Alfred and Sorel located just off Quebec/ Montreal in the St.
Lawrence Seaway, Canada. All these zones were packed with ice,
and required specialised ships called "Ice Breakers" to escort
the vessels into port. |
| Ship operations
in ice conditions with temperatures as low as -35° C are highly
complex. Freezing of lubrication, cooling and hydraulic systems,
freezing of water inside the massive ballast water tanks, sea
water intakes and cargo hold bilge pumping systems are a constant
challenge. Navigation through thick ice also calls for specialised
skills so as to avoid getting beset in the ice or damaging the
ship’s propulsion and steering systems. The pressure exerted
by ice can be powerful enough to damage the ship’s steel structures.
Even washing of cargo holds after discharge of cargo has to
be carried out using anti-freeze chemicals and specialised equipment.
Cold burns caused by contact of skin with cold steel are just
another hazard of the workplace. Operations in such conditions
are a constant battle between man and nature. The staff on our
ships did a commendable job tackling these technical challenges
in extremely inhospitable conditions, earning the praise and
commendation of our customers. |
| Accent on training
shows results |
|
With increased awareness of safety and pollution hazards,
international bodies such as the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) have consistently tried to set procedures in place to
avoid accidents at sea.
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With the present philosophy of building and nurturing the
next generation officers, under the able guidance of the current
officers on board our vessels, Sanmar hopes to continue to
offer confidence to its customers, primarily pool operators,
charterers, oil companies and even government agencies like
the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Incidentally, the USCG
has complimented one of our vessels and her crew. The message
from the Master read as under:
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|
“Excellent upkeep and maintenance observed both on deck
and engine room. Crew and officers’ training, response
and communication skills during both life boat and fire drill
excellent. General overall impression: outstanding. Only good
team work can achieve this.”
|
| US Navy hails
Sanmar Sonata’s seamanship |
| In another laudable
effort, Sanmar Sonata received a commendation from the US Navy
for a successful charter of carriage of jet fuel across the
Arabian Gulf ports over a period of three months. The citation
awarded to the vessel congratulated the vessel, along with each
of the officers on board individually. An extract of the citation
reads as follows: |
| “Your
superior service during an extended time charter was exemplary.
As an onstation tanker and mobile fuel storage platform, you
transferred more than 847,000 barrels of cargo, conducted two
ship-to-ship transfers, and made over 35 moves between anchorage
and berth without incident. The seamanship, engineering and
cargo handling of the officers and crew have nothing been short
of superior. You could always be relied upon for exceptional
performance. It has been a great pleasure working with Sanmar
Sonata and her fine crew. May you always find fair winds and
following seas.” |
|
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| Capt. N J Nair, General Manager-Operations,
Sanmar Shipping Limited, icebound in St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada. |
 |
| Ice navigation, Cabot Straits. |
 |
| Sanmar Progress has to crush and
displace the ice to reach the berth at the Canadian port. |
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| Beset in ice, Port Alfred. |
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| Blanketed in snow, Sanmar Progress. |
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